Monday, May 31, 2010

Alaska became the 8th state to enact a Firearms Freedom Act, the 7th enacted clone of Montana’s original bill, when Alaska Governor Sean Parnell signed HB 186, sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Fairbanks) today.

“The Interstate Commerce Clause is used by the federal government to regulate firearms that cross state borders. The Alaska Firearms Freedom Act makes it clear that Alaskans will be responsible for firearms that are made in Alaska, for use in Alaska, and have ‘Made in Alaska’ stamped on them.”

A Motion to Dismiss is pending in federal court in Missoula, Montana. The Justice Department under Attorney General Eric Holder is trying to stop the trend. Heh.

Alabama man holds robber with shotgun: "The Morgan County Sheriff’s Department says it all started Tuesday when the victim noticed someone had kicked in the door to his home that he was moving out of. The would be burglar returned Wednesday morning. “As soon as he pulled in the driveway the door was standing open again. This time some of his belongings were piled in a pile,” said Investigator Robert Newman. So the homeowner camped out and waited until dark. “This individual comes up on the porch kind of looked around, turned around and stepped in,” said Investigator Robert Newman. Investigator Robert Newman says Kenneth Michael Stewart walked straight to the pile of belongings he planned to steal. “As he stepped in he pushed the door shut and there the homeowner was with the shotgun leveled at him,” said Investigator Newman. Investigator Newman says Stewart cooperated with the homeowner until deputies arrived."

California woman shoots, wounds dog after it attacks her 6-year-old daughter: "A Lake Forest woman shot a dog after it attacked her 6-year-old daughter outside their home Wednesday morning, authorities said. The girl and the woman’s 3-year-old daughter were walking to a neighbor’s house on a quiet cul-de-sac when a dog, thought to be a boxer or a pit bull mix, attacked the older girl, said Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Amormino. The unidentified woman, holding her 1-year-old daughter and accompanied by her 14-year-old son, was drawn from the house by the children’s screams. Outside, they found the dog on top of the 6-year-old, biting her. A neighbor tried to get the dog off the girl by spraying it with Windex, Amormino said. When that didn’t work, the 14-year-old punched the dog until it released the child. The woman scooped up her daughters and ran to her house, Amormino said, but the dog chased them, at one point snapping at the 1-year-old’s pant legs. The woman tried to scare the dog away by yelling and stomping, but when that failed to work, she got a 9-millimeter Glock semiautomatic pistol from the house and shot it once in the neck, Amormino said."

NY: Would-be robber pulls baseball bat on pharmacy clerk, who pulls gun: "A man, armed with a baseball bat, who tried to hold up a pharmacy Wednesday afternoon, got more than he expected when he told the clerk to, “Give me all the drugs” and the employee pulled a licensed pistol out and asked him, “Do you really want to do this?” The man, who was wearing a blue jumpsuit and dark ski mask, fled the Pharmacy at Route 52 in the Village of Jeffersonville. Robert Roach, 55, was found at his residence at 4726 Route 52 near Lake Jefferson. Roach was charged with attempted robbery in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and menacing in the second degree. Roach was sent to the Sullivan County Jail without bail."

DE: NRA sues WHA over gun ban: "The National Rifle Association is suing the Wilmington Housing Authority to try to force the agency to allow public housing residents to carry guns. The NRA says WHA leases have provisions prohibiting tenants from owning guns, which the lobbying group says is a violation of the Constitution’s Second Amendment.The NRA has also sued public housing agencies in San Francisco, Portland, Maine, Washington, DC and Newark, New Jersey to overturn gun bans, and filed suit against the WHA and Executive Director Fred Purnell in Chancery Court in Wilmington Wednesday.”

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Alabama woman shoots and kills invader: "A Piedmont woman shot and killed a man who broke into her home Tuesday night, sheriff’s investigators say. According to Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office reports, Dale Micha Scott, 39, was shot several times and killed at approximately 10:49 p.m. in the upstairs bedroom of a residence on Hughes Road off Alabama 21. Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown pronounced Scott dead at the scene at approximately 12:41 this morning. Sheriff Larry Amerson said the woman who lived at the residence shot Scott with a handgun after he apparently broke into the home through a sliding glass door on the second floor. “From everything we’ve seen thus far, there will be no criminal charges,” Amerson said. “She was totally within her rights to defend herself. And in Alabama, a homeowner does not have to have approval or a permit to own or possess a firearm in his or her own residence.”

Texas woman shoots ex-husband after he stabs her: "A woman fatally shot her ex-husband after the man stabbed her several times at a Montrose apartment complex Sunday. The shooting occurred at an apartment in the 3400 block Yupon about 4:30 p.m., police said. The case is expected to be turned over to a Harris County grand jury to determine whether charges are filed. The name of the 32-year-old man, who died at the scene, has not been released. His ex-wife, whose name has not been released, had several stab wounds and was rushed to Ben Taub General Hospital. Her condition is unknown."

South Carolina: Man who shot intruder was ready on a hunch: "Kershaw deputies say a repeat burglar is off the streets and in the hospital after being wounded during his latest robbery attempt. Pedro King, 65, says he was the one who shot the intruder, Stoney Lee Wilson. “I was sitting there taking my shoes off and I was about ready to throw them on the couch,” said King. “Door swung open and I shot him.” After burglars broke into his son’s home earlier this week, he hunkered down inside Sunday night with a gun on a hunch. How’d he know? “I just had that feeling,” he said. King says it was all very calculated. “I was getting him in the leg,” said King. “That’s where I aimed. Didn’t want to kill him, didn’t want him to suffer.” Deputies say King will not be charged because he was protecting his property. Wilson is in the hospital. After that, deputies say he will go to jail. They say they’ve connected him to a string of burglaries."

Alabama: Teen robber shot and killed: "The May 5 shooting death of an 18-year-old man at Beaconview Apartments has been ruled a justifiable homicide, Birmingham police announced Monday. Marqualius Harris, of Birmingham, was shot and killed as he attempted to rob two males who were about to get into a car, Sgt. Johnny Williams wrote in a press release. The two robbery victims were shot, but survived. They shot back and killed Harris. Homicide detectives presented findings of their investigation to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. The D.A.’s office ruled the death a justifiable homicide."

Saturday, May 29, 2010

29 May, 2010

FL: Traffic mishap leads to shooting: "A Titusville fire inspector told authorities that he shot and wounded a man in self-defense while they argued about a minor traffic accident Thursday in Seminole County. No one has been charged in the apparent road rage incident in the Mayfair Oaks subdivision south of Oviedo. Mark Whorton, 50, a resident of Oviedo and a Titusville fire inspector for four years, told sheriff's deputies that a 2007 Honda Fit driven by Michael McClarin, 34, of Casselberry hit his 2007 Lexus at 6 p.m. on Chapman Road. Whorton said McClarin then "attempted to hit him with his vehicle while (Whorton was) pointing out a black scuff mark and dent on the driver's side door" of his Lexus, Christie Ganley, a Seminole County sheriff's deputy, wrote in the incident report. "McClarin stated that at this point, Whorton shot him point blank in the chest" with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun for which Whorton has a concealed-weapons permit"

Violent crime declines as American gun ownership rises: "For the third consecutive year, violent crime has declined in the United States during the same period when gun and ammunition purchases have increased dramatically, something that should not be happening, if one were to believe the gun prohibition lobby. The FBI on Monday released preliminary uniform crime data showing that the four major violent crime categories are all slipping. Overall, 2009 experienced a 7.2 percent drop in murders, an 8.1 percent decrease in robbery, a 4.2 percent decline in aggravated assault and 3.1 percent reduction in forcible rape. Yet, according to data from the FBI’s National Instant Check System and … the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, gun and ammunition sales are up dramatically.”

Jamaica banned handgun in 1974: "Do gun bans really stop criminals from getting guns? Americans need not look no further than the massive gun battle with armed gangs fighting police and soldiers that took place in Kingston, Jamaica today. At least 30 people were killed in the fighting. It is a huge number for a small island nation of fewer than 3 million people, but unfortunately murder is so common in Jamaica that these murders won’t even be noticed in the annual crime numbers. … Even before the recent rampage, Jamaica’s murder rate was about six times higher than before the ban went into effect.”

TN: Senate overrides veto of guns bill: “The state Senate voted 22-10 on Thursday to once again override the governor’s veto of a bill to allow handgun carry permit holders to bring weapons into bars and alcohol-serving restaurants. Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen last week vetoed the guns bill sponsored by Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson, on the basis that ‘guns and alcohol don’t mix.’ The House had passed the bill on a 66-31 vote, while the Senate approved it by a 23-9 margin. The vote, essentially the third on the proposal in the last two years, took place after little debate. Jackson focused most of his comments on Bredesen’s objections to the bill, saying the governor had made no effort to resolve his problems with the legislation.”

Friday, May 28, 2010

MN: Sight of gun scares off thug: "As Rosenbloom and Campbell wrestled on the ground, Rosenbloom said his shirt came up, and the other man saw Rosenbloom had a gun in a holster. Rosenbloom is also an American Association of Certified Firearms Instructors trainer. He said he did not draw his weapon. The man ran away, and Campbell also tried to flee, Rosenbloom said. Just then, an officer in a passing squad car saw Campbell swing at Rosenbloom, a police spokesman said. Rosenbloom blocked the punch again and held onto Campbell until police arrested him. Campbell, of St. Paul, pleaded guilty Thursday to fifth-degree assault, a misdemeanor."

TX: Officer, citizen fire at man who allegedly tried to run over officer: "Police in Fort Worth are looking for a man who they said tried to run over a police officer overnight in the 2400 block of North Main Street in the heart of the Stockyards. The officer approached two men in a car, which is when the driver allegedly tried to run over the officer. The officer fired shots at the car, hitting the passenger. A citizen also opened fire on the car. The passenger was pushed out of the car and arrested, but the driver is still on the loose.”

Alabama: Homeowner shoots, kills home invader: "A suspect was shot and killed during a home invasion on Jolley Road in Jefferson County on Sunday night. Jefferson County Sheriffs deputies responded to the call shortly before 8:00 p.m. Randy Christian with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responding found the 62-year-old homeowner walking up the driveway up arrival. Inside the house, they found 54-year-old Preston Jenkins already dead with a wound to the left side of his stomach. Deputies have questioned and released the homeowner. Authorities believe the victim had a past relationship with the homeowner’s ex-wife, who was on the scene at the time. It is believed that the victim had forced his way into the home.

Marriott lies to gun owners: “No firearms” signs remain: "Late Monday afternoon an ostensibly apologetic and congenial Keith Thomas, assistant to CEO J.W. Marriott, Jr., told a Grass Roots North Carolina board member that Marriott had ’stepped on a hornet’s nest’ and promised to remove signs prohibiting lawful firearms in hotels nationwide. Of the Charlotte Marriott City Center … Thomas promised signs had already been removed. But on Tuesday, signs at Marriott properties — including the Charlotte hotel — remained in place"

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Illinois: 80-Year-Old Chicago Man Kills Armed Home Invader: "An 80-year-old Chicago man shot and killed an armed man who broke into his two-story house in a pre-dawn home invasion Wednesday on the city’s West Side. At about 5:20 a.m., the homeowner and his wife, also in her 80s, discovered the intruder entering their home through a back door. The homeowner, who had a gun, confronted and killed the burglar on the doorstep, police said. Cops said the intruder also fired his gun during the struggle. Relatives of the couple told the Sun Times that the man is an Army veteran, his wife a former nurse. Police said neither the man nor the woman was injured in the attack. The assailant, who was described by police as being in his 30s, was found slumped on the back doorstep of the couple’s house, removed four hours after the shooting, the Sun Times reported. No charges have been filed against the homeowner"

Fla. Homeowner Shoots Teen Burglar: "An 18-year-old man was shot in the leg by a homeowner Wednesday morning after breaking into a home, Columbia County deputies said. Deputies were called to 100 block of Cardinal Lane at 10:40 a.m. after the homeowner called 911 to report that someone had just broken into his home and that he had shot the burglar. Deputies said they found and arrested Damien Morgan in a nearby business parking lot. They said Morgan, who was shot in his left leg, was taken to Lake City Medical Center for further treatment. Deputies said the homeowner was alone in his home when Morgan kicked in the locked front door. They said the homeowner retrieved his .38-caliber handgun and was confronted by Morgan in the hallway of the home. Deputies said the homeowner, fearing for his safety, fired one shot, and Morgan fled from the home."

SAF blasts Bloomberg for sham relaxation of gun regulations: "New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ‘relaxation’ of gun regulations to make them more streamlined in the city is ‘a lot of flash and very little substance,’ the Second Amendment Foundation said today, after carefully studying the new guidelines. ‘It is clear to us,’ said SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb, ‘that Mayor Bloomberg is trying to make it appear that his gun regulations are more user-friendly to deflect a potential lawsuit once the Supreme Court rules on our legal action to overturn the handgun ban in Chicago.’”

GRNC campaign leads Marriott to say “no guns” signs will be removed: "After GRNC began the effort and Gun Rights Examiners Paul Valone, Dave Workman and David Codrea and others ran it, the boycott immediately ‘went viral,’ appearing on forums across the country and generating untold numbers of contacts to Marriott — many of which were from Marriott’s ‘Rewards’ members who supported the boycott. On Sunday, the Marriott boycott made nationally-syndicated radio on Tom Gresham’s ‘Gun Talk.’ Today, upper level Marriott executive Keith Thomas told GRNC board member Bill Krupicka that signs from the Charlotte property had already been removed, and that signs across the country will be removed promptly.”

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

MS: Burglary attempt ends in shooting: "Charles and Annetta Ray had just returned home from church when a New Orleans man looking for cash or a ride to a bus station tried to force his way inside their home Sunday, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that ended the man’s life, authorities and witnesses said. Cornelious Ferrande, 23, died Sunday of a single gunshot wound outside the home in the 3800 block of Wembley Avenue, Jackson County Coroner Vicki Broadus said. Charles Ray, they said, answered the back door when Ferrande came around asking him to call a bus for him, When Ray, a retired shipyard worker, refused the request, Donald Hamm said, Ferrande told him to get his wife to call for a ride. By that time, Hamm said, Annetta Ray already had realized they were in danger and brought her husband’s pistol to him at the back door. She was hidden by a curtain on the back door window, Hamm said, when she snuck the gun to Charles Ray."

Colorado Right to Carry is Protected Once Again: "Thanks to the efforts of Larimer County Commissioner Tom Donnelly and the staff at Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, there was no confusion about the right of citizens to carry concealed handguns at this weekend’s Republican State Convention. Just weeks ago, RMGO activists noted that the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland – the site for the 2010 Republican State Convention – listed all firearms, including those carried by permit holders, as being banned at that facility. One problem: it’s a taxpayer-built and owned facility, and state law doesn’t allow them to ban concealed carry. RMGO staff talked to the managers of that facility, who were unwilling to budge, so we contacted the ultimate authority for that facility, namely a County Commissioner. Commissioner Tom Donnelly acted within minutes of finding out about this attempt to discourage self defense. And just like that, within hours of finding out about this ban, RMGO – and more notably, Tom Donnelly – fixed it."

Cannot rely on police: "But can we rely on the police to protect us? The reason the use of force in self-defense has always been justifiable at law is because the authorities cannot protect everyone, or indeed anyone all the time. Moreover, the courts have found police are not obliged to protect us. In the case of Warren v. District of Columbia, three young women sued the District of Columbia because the police failed to protect them. Men had burst into their townhouse and attacked their roommate downstairs. Hearing her screams, they called 911 repeatedly for over half an hour. When the screams stopped, they assumed the police had arrived and went downstairs only to be seized by the intruders. The police had lost track of their calls. All three women were brutally abused for 14 hours. D.C.'s highest court ruled that the police do not have a legal responsibility to provide personal protection to individuals. They have a general obligation to protect everyone but not an obligation to protect anyone.

Supreme Court refuses to hear Ileto v. Glock gun liability case: "The United States Supreme Court has decided to let stand a lower court's ruling that gun manufacture Glock is not liable for a white supremacist's shooting spree. In 1999, white supremacist Buford Furrow killed postal worker Joseph Ileto and wounded 5 others - including three children - at a Jewish Community Center in Grenada Hills, California. In order to carry out his racially motivated crime, Furrow broke numerous gun control laws (he was illegally in possession of 7 firearms). In 2001, the shooting victims and Ileto’s wife filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers, marketers, importers, distributors, and sellers of the firearms related to Furrow's shooting spree. They alleged that those defendants intentionally produced, marketed, distributed, and sold more firearms than the legitimate market demanded, in order to take advantage of re-sales to distributors that they know or should know will, in turn, sell to illegal buyers."

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

FL: Shooting at barber shop: "It's unclear what sparked the shooting around 5:30 p.m. Saturday inside the business at 4522 Hoffner Avenue, and Orange County Sheriff's Office released little information about the incident Monday. Nieves said she was outside smoking a cigarette when the shooting occurred. She said the gunman was able to get into the shop by walking close behind another patron who was let into the shop. Once inside the shop, the man opened fire, she said. A client who was getting his hair cut returned the gun shots, Nieves said. Both men left the barbershop after the shooting. Deputies have not publicly identified the shooter. Minutes later, Orlando police responded to an apartment complex on Curry Ford Road where a man was suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen, reports show. Detectives with both agencies have yet to determine if the person found at the complex — Juan Jose Osorio — is the same person who was shot at the shop."

Colorado: Police identify teen killed in attempted burglary: "Police have identified the victim of an early morning shooting in the 3100 block of Gaylord Street as 17-year-old Marcus Duran. Sonny Jackson, a spokesperson with the Denver Police Department, says it appears Duran, and two other men, were trying to break into a home in the area when the homeowner opened fire. “About 2:30 this morning, we got a call of a burglary in progress up the block at another residence,” Jackson said. “Officers, while they were there, heard shots fired at another residence. They responded there, found a male party who was down in front of the home, appeared to be suffering from gunshot wounds.” Police say the man died at the scene. The other suspects fled into the neighborhood."

OH: Black robber shot : "An early morning Lakewood shooting could have been a case of self-defense. Just after midnight Monday morning, Lakewood Police were called to 1437 Newman Ave. for a report of gunshots in the parking lot. Upon arrival they found one male on the ground with gunshot wounds and he was taken to Metro Hospital. Chief Tim Malley says their investigation reveals this possibly may have been an attempted robbery. The suspected robber had produced a firearm while committing a robbery, when the victim of the robbery produced his own handgun and shot the robber. The victim of the robbery, a 35-year-old male from Charlotte, North Carolina, was taken into custody by Lakewood Police. Two handguns were recovered at the scene. No charges have been filed."

PA: Man acquitted of murder gets jail time for having gun: "A York City man acquitted of murder but convicted of illegal gun possession must serve five to 10 years in state prison. Dexter Wright, 41, of South Queen Street, appeared in York County Court on Monday morning to be sentenced by Common Pleas Judge John S. Kennedy. Wright had been accused of fatally shooting Dereck Sease, 31, of York City, after a fistfight at the corner of West Princess and West streets about 2 a.m. Aug. 2. But in March, a jury acquitted him of first- and third-degree murder. Instead, they convicted him of being a convicted felon in illegal possession of a gun. Originally from the Bronx, N.Y., Wright was convicted of felony drug dealing in 1999, police said. As a felon, state law prohibits him from having firearms; it's a second-degree felony."

Monday, May 24, 2010

OK: Shots Fired From Car In Parking Lot: "Oklahoma City police are investigating an overnight shooting at a night club near Northwest 23rd and Portland Avenue. They said two men were kicked out of the night club. A security guard noticed the men in a car in the parking lot shooting a gun. When the guard fired at the car, it sped out of the parking lot. Police said the car crashed into an SUV at Northwest 23rd and MacArthur Avenue. One person in the SUV was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Police arrested both men in the car. They were booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on suspicion of discharging a firearm from a vehicle."

Citizens Endorse Soldiers Gun Rights Bill: ""We support whole-heartedly a bill introduced in the Senate a few days ago to protect the gun rights of our soldiers," John M. Snyder, Public Affairs Director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, said here today. S. 3388, the proposed Service Member Second Amendment Protection Act, was introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. It would protect the Second Amendment rights of soldiers and Department of Defense civilian employees by prohibiting the DOD from requiring the registration of privately owned firearms, ammunition or other weapons beyond what is already required by federal law. Sen. Inhofe proposed the measure because, as a reaction to the Fort Hood shooting last November, "some military bases and DOD installations have instituted or are looking at instituting regulations that violate the Second Amendment rights of soldiers and individuals working for DOD"

Sunday, May 23, 2010

FL: Man shot as he opens door; shooter also shot: "The friends’ cosy night in turned into a violent ambush when a stranger knocked at the door at 10pm on April 1. “Samantha looked through the security peep hole and said ‘I don’t recognise the person outside’,” said Paul. The trio ignored the caller and continued to watch the movie. He seemed to skulk away but 20 minutes later he returned with a second man and again knocked the door. “Michael, who felt concerned with opening the door at that time of night, loaded his skeet gun and asked his friend to hold it in case it was one of the home invaders that had plagued tenants in the complex,” said Paul. “When Michael opened the door the last thing he said, in true Michael form, was ‘Can I help you?’ “The gunman shot Michael with a high capacity round through his neck. Michael passed away immediately. “Michael’s friend Kyle started shooting and reloading until he ran out of ammunition, severely wounding the assailant. Crossno, 20, of Wooster, Ohio, was taken to Tampa General Hospital in a critical condition. He has since been charged with murder, attempted robbery and home invasion with a firearm."

Tennessee: Man shot, killed stepfather after threats with ax: "A Roan Mountain man shot and killed his stepfather on the back porch of his residence Friday morning after he said his stepfather threatened to break into his house with an ax and cut off his and his wife’s head, according to police. The initial investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Department indicated the man was trying to break into the home when he was shot by the homeowner. Upon arrival, the deputies found Gary D. Parker, 46, 305 Sawdust Trail lying on the back porch. He was suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head A short time later the Carter County Rescue Squad arrived and the paramedics were unable to find any signs of life. A sheriff’s department news release said the investigation revealed that Parker had been “very confrontational, threatening and belligerent with his neighbors for some time.”

Safer Streets 2010: Second amendment not revenge, but survival: "One example that has put a gulf between gun owners and the non-gun owner electorate is the spiteful and misleading notion that gun owners settle disputes in anger. Anger has nothing to do with armed self-defense and practical adult preparedness. It is all about purposeful response. It isn't about depending on others to do what only you can do, it is about your independence in knowing that you bear a responsibility for doing what only you can do: It isn't about revenge, it is about survival. But as discussions move along, if they move at all, it's still a very good idea to head off future abuses of customers for their political beliefs: just take your business somewhere else. Take your business elsewhere and make it stick. Go where you are wanted and go to those businesses who openly support the civil right which protects all our rights."

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Man acquitted in rapper's shooting death -- self defense: "A man who shot and killed an up-and-coming rapper at the Beverly Center last year was acquitted of murder Friday in a case that focused in part on the victim's violence-laced gangsta rap lyrics. Aubrey Berry, 24, was hugged by his defense attorney as the last of the not guilty verdicts was read in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. Friends and family of rapper Dolla, whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II, wailed and sobbed in the audience. Berry testified last week that he opened fire in self-defense in the parking garage of the upscale mall. He said Burton, 21, threatened to kill him near the valet desk and reached toward his back as though he were drawing a gun. Police found no weapon on Burton, who was shot once in the left biceps and three times in the back. Berry testified that Burton had been part of a group of men who kicked and punched him 11 days earlier at an Atlanta nightclub."

Minnesota: Armed Robbber Shot By Store Clerk: "A shooting occurred during an armed robbery attempt in Greenwood overnight. It happened at the Lakeshore Market on Highway 7 shortly after 10:30 pm. Two men wearing masks entered the store and encountered a clerk with a gun. Police chief Brian Litsey says at least one of the robbers was shot and wounded. Both men fled, prompting a search of the surrounding area. One wounded suspect was located with a gun “hunkered down” behind some foliage.

Indiana: Pizza Driver, Would-Be Robbers Exchange Gunfire: "Two would-be robbers and a pizza delivery driver exchanged gunfire early Thursday morning after the men tried to rob the worker, police said. The incident happened at about 12:30 a.m. in the 2000 block of Bosart Avenue. Indianapolis police said a driver for Aunt Polly’s Pizza was met by two men on the front porch who demanded money and food. One of the men fired a shot at the driver, but missed. The driver also had a gun and fired back. Indianapolis police said they don’t think either suspect was struck, but the men haven’t been found. The owner of the pizza shop said that he started having all his drivers carry guns while on deliveries about two years ago. A sign that reads, “Warning, We Don’t Dial 911″ is posted inside the business. The delivery driver had a valid permit to carry the handgun, police said."

Friday, May 21, 2010

Pennsylvania: Guard’s Gunshot Chases Would-Be Robber: "There were some tense moments Friday at Frankford Pharmacy. A woman was sitting in her car on Frankford Avenue when she saw a man ride up on a bike and put a mask over his face. Then, he started to enter the pharmacy. But the fast-thinking woman alerted a security guard, who fired a shot. The masked man took off on his bike."

Stripping away our rights, one constitutional guarantee at a time: "Recently Stop Abusive and Violent Environments, a Washington-based advocacy organization, released a report titled ‘Assaulting our Rights: How Domestic Violence Laws Curtail our Fundamental Freedoms:’ This document exposes, in chilling detail, how our fundamental rights have been casually tossed aside in the name of curing the so-called “epidemic” of domestic violence. … The Second Amendment guarantees the ‘right of the people to keep and bear Arms.’ But if you are merely accused of partner abuse, you’ll be forced to turn in your hunting rifle, Civil War handgun collection, and maybe even your trusty pea-shooter. Thank the well-meaning Lautenberg Amendment for that.”

Guns and liars who lie about them: "When prominent historian Michael Bellesiles (be-LEALs) met fierce criticism of his book, Arming America, in 2000 and beyond, much of academia rallied to his support. It was a failed effort and resulted in a sort of East Anglia/Hockey Stick/Climatic Research Unit epic debacle for Second Amendment opponents. Michael Bellesiles was forced to resign his positions at Emory University and suffered the ignominy of being the first winner of the coveted and prestigious Bancroft Prize to have it rescinded. Assisted by the New Press, Bellesiles is now plotting his return from humiliating exile with a new screed on Americans and their right to bear arms.”

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Arkansas: They breed 'em tough at Burger King!: "A police report says officers responded to a robbery in progress call at a Burger King about 11 p.m. Monday. Officers said they arrested 22-year-old Jason Robinson, who had a gunshot wound in one thigh. According to investigators, an employee said that, after the robber accosted her and demanded money, he put his gun down so he could place the money in a bag. The employee says she grabbed the gun and it fired as she and the robber struggled for it. She told officers she put the robber in a head-lock and called police. Robinson was treated at a local hospital and was being held at the Jefferson County jail."

Pennsylvania: Elderly couple holds burglar at gunpoint: "An elderly couple held a burglar at gunpoint while waiting for police to arrive at their Stroudsburg home Saturday morning. Devin Tyler Ayala, 24, [above] of Stroudsburg ripped a screen on a porch, climbed through and entered the Sarah Street home through a door. That set off an alarm. A 68-year old woman had been sleeping on the couch on the first floor. She awoke, pushed past Ayala and screamed for help to her husband who had been sleeping upstairs. The husband, 74, came down stairs with a gun and kept Ayala in place until the Stroud Area Regional Police responded according to the police report. Ayala is charged with burglary, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct." [Ayala is an Hispanic name]

Florida: Woman shoots suspect with own gun: "A 19-year-old man was arrested after a woman told police the armed man sexually battered her before she took his gun and fired, apparently hitting him in the leg, according to a recently released affidavit. Major Lee Barnes [above], of the 1200 block of North 19th Street in Fort Pierce, faces sexual battery, robbery with a firearm and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon charges after the May 14 incident that happened about 12:02 a.m. He pointed a handgun at her and told her to take off her pants. She said the man searched her private area for money and stole her cellular phone. The man told her to get on her knees and perform a sex act on him. She was intimidated by the armed man and did so. During the sex act, she saw the handgun, which the man put in his pocket “as he put his arms back in an apparent relaxed gesture,” the affidavit states. She grabbed the weapon and pointed it at him. The man charged toward her, and she fired before the man fled the area. Friends of Barnes’ apparently took him to the emergency room with a gunshot wound to the right leg."

Colorado Home Intruder Shot Dead: "A 28-year-old Pueblo man was shot and killed by an occupant of a South Side home early Tuesday morning after he and two other men reportedly forced their way into the residence. John Pete Sullivan died at the scene from a bullet wound to the back, according to police Sgt. Eric Bravo. Bravo said police believe Sullivan was one of three masked men who forced their way into the home at 3117 Aster St. at about 3 a.m. with the intent of robbing the home’s occupants. Police are still looking for the two other men, whom were not identified, and a female, identified as Natasha Villalobos, who is believed to have orchestrated the crime. Sullivan was a known gang member. Bravo said drugs appear to be motive for the crime. “It looks like a drug rip-off that went south,” he said."

Note: Clayton Cramer has up a version of the second story I ran yesterday in which Clayton seems to have mistaken who got shot. I would have added that in a comment but Clayton does not allow comments.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

FL: Fatal shooting was apparently self-defense: "Hosie Harris, 74, was in his bedroom about 11 p.m. when a man came into the room and started hitting Harris in the head with a stick or club and demanded money, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office reported. The intruder grabbed a loaded .22 caliber rifle Harris had near his bed and tried to shoot Harris but couldn't figure out how to click off the gun's safety, the sheriff's office reported. When the man began rummaging through a closet, Harris pulled out a gun and shot him twice, deputies said. The man, identified as Lee Andrew Johnson, 49, walked next door to call 911 but was pronounced dead at 11:25 p.m. Harris was taken to Blake Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition. The case is under investigation, but the sheriff's office does not plan to file charges."

OK: Fatal Shooting Self-Defense: "In the third deadly shooting in three days in the city of Tulsa, a man was shot at a midtown Tulsa convenience store and restaurant. Six or seven shots rang out at Moe's Grill at 5th and Lewis around 7:20 Tuesday night, Tulsa Police say. Police are questioning a former Okmulgee County reserve deputy who officers say fired several shots at the victim after exchanging words with him. Police believe the pair knew each other and the former reserve deputy told officers he had tried to arrest the man in the past. That former reserve deputy had a concealed carry permit according to officers on the scene. He is being questioned, but police are treating it as a self-defense shooting."

Montana "White racist" acquitted: "A Billings teenager who shot another teen in the leg following a late-night gathering of friends was acquitted Tuesday of felony assault with a weapon. After about four hours of deliberations, a District Court jury said 17-year-old Allen Goff was not guilty of the charge for the July 27 shooting outside a house on Avenue C. Jury foreman Steve Strutz said the panel wrestled with a difficult decision but could not conclude that Goff committed a crime. "It was just such a volatile and hostile situation and there was just so much reasonable doubt,” Strutz said. The shooting followed a night of drinking by a small group of friends, including the victim, Christopher Ortiz. Goff left the house shortly before 3 a.m. just after Ortiz threw a drink at him. Ortiz followed Goff outside, according to witnesses at the trial, and the two met in the street where a verbal confrontation ensued. Defense attorney Jack Sands argued that the shooting was self-defense and a justifiable use of force because Goff felt threatened and scared by Ortiz’s actions."

TN: Bredesen vetoes “guns in bars” bill again: "Gov. Phil Bredesen on Tuesday vetoed a renewed effort to allow Tennessee handgun carry permit holders to bring their weapons into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. The Democratic governor said in a letter to Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville that he based his decision on a principle he learned more than 50 years ago in a safety course sponsored by the National Rifle Association: ‘Guns and alcohol don’t mix.’ The NRA has been a vocal supporter of the guns in bars measure passed in Tennessee the last two years. Bredesen vetoed a similar measure last year, flanked by law enforcement officers and prosecutors who opposed the bill, but he was easily overridden by the Legislature. It only takes a simple majority in both chambers to turn back a veto.”

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Truth About Gun Sales to Terrorists

Months before he loaded his SUV with propane tanks and fireworks and drove to Times Square, police say, Faisal Shahzad went to a firearms store and bought a rifle. It was found in his other car at Kennedy Airport, where his name showed up on the no-fly list in time to keep him from escaping.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., is one of many people wondering why a suspected terrorist can be barred from flying but not from purchasing a gun. It "defies common sense," he says, that "the rights of terrorists are placed above the safety of everyday Americans."

Well, not exactly. Anyone convicted of terrorism has no right to buy a gun, since felons are barred under federal law. And Lautenberg neglects to mention that in denying constitutional rights to people merely suspected of dangerous connections, he would deny rights to lots of peaceable "everyday Americans."

His bill, the subject of a recent Senate hearing, gives the attorney general the power to block gun sales to anyone the government suspects of being a terrorist. Never mind the obstacle known as the Second Amendment, which according to the Supreme Court protects an individual right to own guns for personal use.

Someone arrested, tried and found guilty of a crime loses that particular freedom. But Lautenberg's bill would strip the right from many people without forcing the government to show they've done anything wrong.

It's not entirely clear what it takes to be tagged in the government's terrorist watch list, which includes more than a million names and has been plagued with errors. "How you get on is a mystery, and how you get off is extremely difficult," says Mike German, a former FBI agent now with the American Civil Liberties Union.

A 2009 evaluation by the Justice Department's inspector general found that many nominations "were processed with little or no information explaining why the subject may have a nexus to terrorism." The FBI also "did not consistently update or remove watch list records when appropriate."

If you get put on the list by mistake, you may find yourself permanently exiled to the Twilight Zone. The program under which innocent Americans may challenge their designation "does not always provide meaningful solutions," according to the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security.

Supporters of the bill lament that, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office, people on the watch list have tried to buy firearms more than 1,200 times, with 91 percent of the sales going through.

That could mean al-Qaida has a good-sized secret domestic arsenal by now. Or it could mean that a lot of people thought to be a mortal threat were about as bloodthirsty as Jill Biden.

The more interesting question is whether any of the purchases led to terrorist violence. If supporters of the bill had examples to flog, you can be sure they would. In any event, the FBI keeps track of anyone on the list who buys a gun and sometimes steps up surveillance in response.

The proposed law wouldn't have impeded Shahzad because he didn't make the list until after he bought the rifle. Nidal Hasan, the alleged Fort Hood shooter, failed to get a nomination.

Most of the people on the terrorist roll, as it happens, can't buy guns legally anyway, because most of them are not Americans. Under federal law, firearms may be purchased only by U.S. citizens or legal resident aliens.

Barring gun sales on the basis of mere suspicion might be permissible except for that pesky Second Amendment. The Constitution doesn't specifically enshrine the right to ride in a commercial airliner or even the right to travel. The right to own a gun, by contrast, is right there in black and white.

Not only that, but someone blocked from boarding a plane can always travel by train, bus, boat or car, says UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh, which is one reason courts have upheld restrictions on flying. "But this completely prohibits you from even possessing a gun," he notes, once you've gotten notice that you are forbidden to buy one.

All this would happen without the normal requirements of due process, which makes it unconstitutional as well as unwise. Note to the federal government: You are entitled to deny firearms to anyone engaged in efforts to commit acts of terrorism -- just as soon as you can prove it.

Robber, clerk fatally shoot each other: "LAS VEGAS: Police say a robber and a store clerk shot and killed each other during a botched robbery. The gunfire erupted shortly before midnight Saturday at a Supermart store on Smoke Ranch just east of 95. Police say a gunman attempting a robbery fatally wounded the clerk, but the clerk was able to grab a gun and kill the suspect before he died. Authorities are reviewing the store's 24-hour surveillance video for a clearer picture of the shootings. The names of the dead were not immediately available."

DC: New gun rules shift Constitutional debate: "Mark Snyder, an amateur biathlete, wanted to buy a .22-caliber bolt-action rifle for target shooting and figured the process would take about a week. After nearly six weeks, six visits to police departments and $300 in fees, he secured his rifle. ‘I was not expecting a free ride,’ said Mr. Snyder, 45, ‘but this is an obstacle course they put in place.’ The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the District of Columbia’s 32-year ban on handguns in 2008, a victory for the gun-rights lobby that seemed to promise a more permissive era in America’s long tussle over gun ownership. Since then, the city has crafted rules that are proving a new, powerful deterrent to residents who want to buy firearms.”

IL: Woman prowler shot: "Charges were reduced Monday in connection with a weekend shooting that hospitalized a woman. Jerry Sanders Jr., 21, of the 500 block of Ann Street, was taken into custody following an incident early Sunday morning that left a local 22-year-old woman shot and injured. He stands accused of one count of possession of a firearm without an owner’s identification, a misdemeanor. State’s Attorney Randy Brinegar said it appears, from early police department investigations, that there is a self-defense issue in the case. Preliminary investigations by police found that Sanders retrieved a gun after hearing a disturbance in his backyard. He went outside to investigate and, at some point, several shots were fired. The victim, whose name has not been released by police, suffered several gunshot wounds as a result of being shot at by Sanders, according to police.

Monday, May 17, 2010

FL: Two dead in botched home invasion: "A botched robbery ended Tuesday morning with two men dead, four men in jail on felony drug and murder charges and a fifth suspect on the run. Michael Anthony Norman shot and killed Devin Austin Butler, 20, and Michael Patrick Duffy, 22, after the young men broke into the home Norman shares with Daniel Lawrence Nelson, Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen said. Butler and Duffy conspired with Justin E. Polson, 25, Alecia Alford, 26, and Stephen Mark Lang, 28, to steal a few ounces of marijuana, about 100 Oxycodone pills, a handful of Hydrocodone, Xanax, Percocet and Soma pills and “several thousand dollars” of drug money from the house at 7515 Jefferson Ave., the sheriff said. Butler and Duffy, dressed in dark clothes and with their faces covered by bandanas, broke into the mobile home with the knife and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun. Norman called 911 just before 4:30 a.m. and told the operator to send an ambulance; he had just shot two home invaders. As far as police know, Norman fired just three shots, all of which hit the two burglars... The homeowner might have used the same gun to shoot Duffy and Butler; investigators said Norman shot the men with a .38-caliber revolver. He was not charged in the deaths"

CA: Shot victim fought back: "The laborer's friend, a 33-year-old Watsonville transient, grabbed for the gun and fought with the robber even though he had a gunshot wound in his abdomen, police said. The laborer burst into the shack, helped call police and detained the robber until officers arrived. "When we showed up, they were still holding him down," Gonzalez said. Officers recovered the pistol and arrested the 17-year-old on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery, conspiracy, gang participation and gun charges, police reported. His name was withheld because of his age."

Arizona: Victim’s dad confronts suspects after west Valley attack: "Three men were arrested early Sunday for robbing several victims in the west Valley, according to officials. Phoenix Police Department spokesman Trent Crump said three Hispanic males were robbing victims along west Valley streets around 12 a.m. The two incidents reportedly occurred on Thomas Road between 59th and 67th avenues. According to Crump, one of the victims returned home and told his father what had happened. The man’s father reportedly left the home and went looking for the suspects. Crump said police apprehended one of the suspects by this time, but the victim’s father located the remaining two suspects and confronted them about the robbery. The suspects reportedly pulled a gun on the man, at which point he also drew a firearm and a shootout began, according to officials. The victim’s father was not shot during the exchange, but did shoot one of the suspects “at least two times,” Crump said. One of the teen suspects, Ruben Torres, 18, was reportedly hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. Angel Torres and Michael Torres, both 19, have also been taken into custody."

Sunday, May 16, 2010

More women buying guns

Tasha Hanish, with a semiautomatic on her belt and a rifle in her hands, looks as if she leapt out of a video game onto the NRA gun show floor.

If FNH USA thought the athletic brunette would be good fishbait to lure male gunbuyers away from the Remington and Smith & Wesson booths, they were right: men were rapt as she showed off the features of FNH guns.

She knows what she's talking about. "I'm 30, and I've been shooting for 17 years," Hanish told the Daily News. "My dad took us out hunting in Oregon. He taught me."

Now, she's ladies national champion in "three gun," the shooting sport where competitors hit targets as far away as 600 yards with a pistol, a shotgun and a rifle while running an obstacle course.

More women are buying their own guns than before, according to a 2009 survey by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which found that gun shop owners reported a 70% increase in female buyers last year.

Some women, like Hanish, are into the skill of target practice, while others bought their weapons for hunting. But the study found that most women are buying handguns for self-protection.

Laura Opalka is one example, "I learned how to shoot when I was 5 years old, but I didn't really decide to buy a gun until two years ago," said the stylish CPA inside the Charlotte convention center. "I grew up here, and I've seen it change. We have a large problem with illegal immigrants, and there has been an uptick in break-ins and violent crimes while at the same time the local government doesn't seem to be putting enough police on the street.

"I'm arming up," she said. "And when my 21-year-old daughter comes home from college, I want her to learn as well."

Kelly Underwood, a voluptuous blond who got into target shooting with her boyfriend, a lifelong hunter who works in law enforcement, said, "I actually hit the target. I was pretty proud of myself." But her reason to learn shooting is also one of self-defense: "I have a stalker," she explained.

American gun manufacturers, like Utah's Cobra company, have tried to "target" the female market with colorful small guns that shoot as few as two bullets. "We have pink, purple, fuschia," said Kimberley Wallace at the Cobra booth. "They're Derringers, just like the ones from the 1800s that ladies tucked in their garter belts."

But their most popular model with female customers is The Shadow, a pink .38 Special that weighs only 15 ounces. "It weighs about as much as a cell phone, and it fits in your purse," Wallace explained. "It has five shots, and if you're scared, you just pull this out and shoot, shoot, shoot."

"Ladies Only" shooting camps have begun sprouting up, including the Babes With Bullets camp, which trains everyone from the more advanced to "ladies who have never held a gun before."

The National Rifle Association itself scheduled nine women-only excursions this year to hunt coyote, bobcat, elk, deer, and in Alaska, wolf and black bear.

Still, says Hanish, women are in the minority, with only four women competing with 250 men in the next "three-gun" match. "A lot of women are afraid," she says. "It's fear of the unknown."

South Carolina: Woman Shoots At departing robbers: "An Inman woman said three men, one wearing a Halloween mask, broke down her door and ransacked her house on Wednesday. The woman said she was sleeping on the couch in her living room of her home on Knox Drive at about 10:30 p.m. when the men broke in through the front door. She said one man, who wore a greenish Halloween mask, held her at gunpoint on the couch while the other two men went through the home. The woman said that she had several bottles of medication on the table and a .357 revolver on a side table in the living room, but the only thing the men took was a box of ammunition. She said as soon as the men left the house, she got her gun and fired six rounds toward the driveway. She said she heard a loud pickup truck leave the area."

CT: Shot in the head but man fights back: "A 29-year-old Stamford man was shot in the back of the head early Sunday morning, then wrestled the gun away from his assailants, fired shots at the fleeing attackers, and drove himself to the hospital, police said. Some 12 hours later the man was released from the hospital with the slug still in the middle of the back of his head, just above the spine, Matheny said. The man faced an unknown number of assailants at an unknown location in Stamford, where, after being shot once, he took the gun away and fired rounds in self defense at the attackers as they fled, Matheny said. "It's not unusual for a small-caliber bullet to not penetrate the skull," Matheny said. "In this case, it appears to have lodged in the tissue under the skin outside the skull."

Government and gun control: "Just knowing Galligan doesn’t like this law made me interested enough to investigate it so here are some thoughts about HEA 1065. First, the law merely says that businesses must allow employees to keep a gun in their car. The gun must be in the glove compartment, or otherwise concealed, in a locked car or locked in the trunk. So I’m not sure why Galligan thinks it’s so horrible. Interestingly, some businesses are also against it and complain that politicians have passed another law telling them what they can and cannot do. Normally I completely sympathize with this argument. However, as explained above, the law protects the individual’s right to store her gun, which is her property, inside her locked car, also her property. If someone cannot do this while her car is parked at work, what does that say about an individual’s private property rights? Is her car and all of its contents her property or not? Therefore, as far as I can tell, this law requires business owners to do nothing but leave gun owners alone.”

Saturday, May 15, 2010

California: Teen shot allegedly attempting break-in: "A 15-year-old boy showed up at a Lodi hospital Wednesday morning with a gunshot wound police said he’d suffered when a homeowner shot him during a break-in attempt in north Stockton.... When he returned home, he saw the Lexus parked in his neighbor’s driveway and saw two people trying to open his front door. The man told police he confronted the pair, and that when one reached for his waistband, the man fired, injuring one of the would-be intruders. A short time later, the 15-year-old boy checked in at Lodi Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound police said was not life-threatening. He was cited and released to the custody of his parents."

Texas: Homeowner shoots would-be burglar: "A homeowner opened fire on a man breaking into his home in northwest Harris County. The would-be thief broke into the house on Heather Hill Street around 10:30am Wednesday. The homeowner said he was in the shower, heard the noise and grabbed a gun. Lt. Jeff Stauber with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department Safe Home Task Force said, “As he came into the living room, he spotted the suspect leaning inside his house from the window he had broken out.” That’s when the man told deputies he fired a single shot, hitting the home invasion suspect in the face. The wounded suspect fled, but he made it just a few miles before deputies caught up with him in a fast food parking lot near Veteran’s Memorial and West Mount Houston. He was taken to Ben Taub Hospital. Investigators say the case will go before a grand jury, but they say under Texas law it doesn’t appear that what the homeowner did was illegal"

Mississippi: Intruder shot by man in kitchen: "A Golf Course Road resident fired shots at one of three men he found inside his kitchen early Tuesday during an apparent burglary, the authorities said. Officers received a call reporting a burglary in progress with shots fired at the mobile home of Jay Franklin, 1015 Golf Course Road, at 2:09 a.m. Franklin told officers that he was asleep inside his home when he heard a noise. “He heard a noise, turned the lights on and saw three black males in his kitchen,” Julian Greer, assistant police chief, said. Franklin told police that he fired either four or five shots from his .38 caliber handgun after seeing that one of the men had a gun. The men fled his home without taking any of Franklin’s belongings, Greer said."

Texas: Shop Owner’s Wife Shoots At Would-Be Robber During Attempted Holdup: "The shop owner, Edgar Llorens, told News 10 that around 9:30 a.m., as he was about to depart for the bank with the week’s deposits, three armed men entered the shop and demanded money. Llorens said he gave the men money from the register, but then his wife emerged from the back of the shop with a weapon and shot one of the men in the leg. The would-be robber dropped the bag of money and all three men fled the shop, but not before one of the men stole his cell phone, Llorens said. Neighboring businesses contacted 911 and were able to give police a description of the vehicle."

Friday, May 14, 2010

TN: Road rager shot in self defense: "The accident-turned-shooting happened along South Third near Bodley in South Memphis. Charged with two counts of aggravated assault, 21-year-old Carnell Lowe was booked into jail with gunshots in his leg and foot. To add insult to injury, police say the man who shot him did it in self-defense. According to police, Lowe got into an accident with another driver, 28-year-old Lawrence Harwell who asked if Lowe was okay. Instead, they ended up arguing. Then, police say, Lowe threatened to get a gun and Harwell said, "Don't do that bro". When Lowe grabbed his gun from his trunk Harwell opened fire. When police got to the scene, Harwell admitted firing and said, "I have a gun and permit." Lowe has bonded out of jail and police say he admitted he got shot when he threatened to turn the fender bender violent."

Pennsylvania: Burglars Exchange Gunfire With Victim: "Intruders who forced their way into a West Pike Run Township home early Wednesday were greeted by gunfire. State police said several burglars entered the living room at the home of John Leska, Oak Road, about 2:10 a.m. Leska was awakened and from his bed fired a round from a .45-caliber handgun. One of the burglars fired back from a 9mm handgun toward Leska before fleeing." [More detail here]

SCOTUS nominee's Gun Problem: "Elena Kagan may be hostile to the view that the 2ndAmendment to the Constitution protects American’s individual right to keep and bear arms. Bloomberg reports today, “Kagan Was ‘Not Sympathetic’ as Law Clerk to Gun-Rights Argument.” With the evidence presented by the Los Angeles Times that Kagan was very active in the gun control agenda during her time as counsel for the President Bill Clinton Administration, a thorough examination of Kagan’s views on the 2nd Amendment is merited."

Is the Brady Campaign a closet klavern of the Klan?: "They opposed a landmark court ruling that struck down the handgun ban in District of Columbia, a city with a predominantly black population. They later opposed legislation that would grant the District full voting rights in Congress, because the measure contained a provision expanding gun rights for those same citizens. They filed a court brief opposing a lawsuit filed against the City of Chicago’s handgun ban by Otis McDonald, an African-American whose life story would make inspiring material for a movie.”

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Arizona: 1 killed, 4 wounded in shootout during robbery: "Police say one man is dead and three others are wounded after they attempted to rob an Arizona store and got into a shootout with the owner and an employee. Police say the shooting happened Tuesday night after the four men entered and tried to hold up the Tucson store M&M Customs, which sells auto alarms and stereos. While the men confronted an employee, the store’s owner brandished a gun and a shootout ensued. At some point, the employee also pulled a gun and fired at the suspected robbers. Police say one of the robbers was killed, another suffered life-threatening injuries, and two others were not seriously wounded. Police say the business owner suffered a non-life-threatening wound."

Pennsylvania: Bulldog shot after mauling boy: "They all said he was a nice dog. But something inside Zeus snapped this morning. The American bulldog who loved dog biscuits and backscratches went berserk and attacked an 11-year-old neighbor as the boy and his friend got ready for school in Port Richmond. Thirteen-year-old Brad Bucher heard his brother screaming and sprinted to help. The scene outside his home on Mercer Street near Tioga seemed straight out of a horror movie: Shane struggled frantically on the sidewalk, Zeus’ teeth sunk into his bloodied neck. Neighbor Bill Reynolds had heard the horror unfolding outside too. The 46-year-old Reynolds grabbed his .357 Magnum, bolted toward the boy and dog and aimed carefully, blasting Zeus twice until the hulking dog loosened his grip on Shane... Shane, a fifth-grader at Bridesburg School, is in stable condition at St. Christopher Hospital for Children after undergoing surgery."

WY: New law pits guns vs. grizzlies in national parks: "The grizzly took Jerry Ruth by surprise, bursting from thick brush and biting his jaw almost completely off. On the ground and barely able to see, Ruth grabbed his .41 Magnum-caliber revolver and started shooting. The third bullet pierced the bear’s heart and spinal cord, killing it from 25 feet. ‘I’m glad I was armed with a firearm and I’m glad I was able to shoot straight,’ said Ruth, attacked last July 19 a couple miles from his home not far from Yellowstone National Park. Ruth’s gun quite possibly saved his life. It also provided fodder for a long-standing debate about whether a gun or bear spray is better in fending off a grizzly attack.”

Keeping guns from terrorists?: "Friday, the NRA-ILA ran a story about the latest U.S. Senate hearing for S.1317 and H.R.2159, which would ‘prohibit the possession of firearms by people on the FBI’s ‘terrorist watchlist.’ Many people might wonder why anyone would be opposed to keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists, but that’s not really what the issue is here. The FBI claims the only people on the list are those ‘known or reasonably suspected of being involved in terrorist activity.’ The FBI website about the watch list admits that U.S. citizens are on the list and also states that it ‘cannot reveal whether a particular person is in the [list].’”

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Alabama: Man attempts to rob pizza deliverer: "A would be robber got more than he bargained for when he tried to hold up a pizza delivery driver. As FOX10 News reporter Renee Dials explains, the robber found himself looking down the barrel of the intended victim’s gun. Dean said there were no lights on at the house, so he had to use his spotlight to find the address.... when I got that far up he came out from the side of the porch and had a shotgun on me,” Dean said. Instead of panicking, Dean did something the robber wasn’t expecting. “I dropped my pizza bag when I drew my weapon and that got his attention. He glanced to the side, and when he glanced, I just drew my weapon, and he ran off, almost instantaneously,” he explained."

Texas: Restaurant owners fight off would-be robber: "Forrest Blackwelder-Baggett, 21, walked into the Delta’s Restaurant on Parmer Lane near Lamplight Village Avenue on Sunday evening and pointed the weapon at Ehsan Gharibi, the owner of the restaurant, the arrest affidavit said. “Give me all the cash,” he told Gharibi, the arrest affidavit said. After Blackwelder-Baggett pointed the weapon at a female employee trying to dial 911, Gharibi reached out for Blackwelder-Baggett, twisted his arm and took the gun away, the affidavit said. Blackwelder-Baggett then drove off in a vehicle, as Arellano wrote down his license plate, the affidavit said. Blackwelder-Baggett swerved the vehicle toward Arellano and then drove away, the affidavit said. Cedar Park police responded to an address in Cedar Park that matched the vehicle, the affidavit said. He was taken into custody"

New York: LI Man Shoots Neighbor’s Pit Bull: "Barking between Suffolk County neighbors over a pit bull came to a head Tuesday when a man shot and killed the dog. The canine reportedly broke free from its leash this afternoon in East Setauket just as a group of kids were coming home from school, and began to attack the students, police said. A neighbor told police that he witnessed the attack, and went out to defend the children – bringing along his legally registered pistol as a precaution. But he claimed the animal quickly went after him, forcing him to pull the trigger in self-defense. The dog died soon after being shot. The man later told police that the dog has a history of aggression that’s known throughout the neighborhood. No charges have been filed."

What would YOU say to “no guns for Jews?” "Before you go thinking some neo-Nazi is off on an anti-Semitic rant, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership is producing another of its unique and hard-hitting documentaries. That’s the title they gave it.”

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

NC: Criminal Fights Off Robbery Attempt after his pants fall down: "Adams had been standing outside in the front yard of his home at 529 N. Ellis Street when he was approached by three masked individuals. Two of the individuals were armed with handguns. The masked individuals began going through the pockets of Adams’ loose fitting pants, which caused the victim’s pants to fall down. Adams fell to the ground to grab his pants, and a concealed handgun that he was carrying fell onto the ground. After seeing that Adams had a gun, the two armed suspects immediately opened fire on Adams. None of the shots made contact with Adams. Adams told police he returned fire as the three suspects fled while exchanging gunfire. The only individuals actually hit by the flying rounds were the three suspects who had been trying to rob Adams. The three suspects are Cowan, 24-year-old Robert Roderquis Crump, and 19-year-old Antonio Rushawn Lee. Cowan is listed in critical condition at Baptist Hospital."

NJ: Woman Home Intruder Shot Dead: "A botched break-in this morning turned into a gunfight that left one would-be robber dead and two more on the run, authorities said. Deputies arrived at Rustic Circle just after 1:30 a.m. to investigate a shooting call, Hamblen County Sheriff Esco Jarnagin said. They found a woman’s body lying in the road at the end of the cul-de-sac. She’d been shot through the throat, the sheriff said. The woman had knocked at the door of Scott and Penny Knight, claiming she had car trouble and asking to use the phone. Scott Knight became suspicious and fetched a .22-caliber pistol, the sheriff said. When he opened the door, at least two armed men tried to force their way inside. “They started shooting, and he started shooting,” the sheriff said. “She was struck, and they fled. We don’t know for sure if one of them was shot.”

South Carolina: Attempted Robbery Ends in Shootout: "Cherokee County deputies are investigating a shootout that happened at Sonny’s Restaurant on Highway 29 just outside of Gaffney. Officials said the gunfire erupted as the three attempted robbery suspects were about to leave the restaurant at about 3 a.m. Saturday morning. The suspects were shot by two employees, who were armed with guns. They were taken to local hospitals. According to a statement released by Dennis Fowler, Cherokee County Coroner, Michael Shaquille Davidson, 16, was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center where he died in the trauma center. Lloyd Ryan Jefferies, 18, was driven to Mary Black Hospital. After being treated, deputies arrested him and booked him into the Cherokee County Detention Center. He is charged with Armed Robbery. The third suspect, Calvin Smith Jr., remains at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. He has been charged as an adult with armed robbery."

Covert attack on the Second: "Obama has apparently taken a step to disarm America, according to a document that has been leaked. The step is strategic and very cunning: begin with the military. The document reveals a proposal to force all military personnel to register all firearms — even privately owned firearms that are kept in their private residences. It would force a regular inventory of all such firearms concurrent with the regular inventories of military weapons. Soldiers maintaining privately owned firearms in their private residences, off base, would be required to keep their weapons in locked containers or with trigger locks, unloaded, and have the ammunition secured separately from the weapon in a locked container.”

Monday, May 10, 2010

Omaha Walgreens 'Hero' Still Being Denied Right to Self-Defense

The Nebraska Firearms Owners Association (NFOA) today called on the city of Omaha to end its practice of registering firearms, in the wake of a case involving a private citizen who fatally shot an armed robber, and who continues to be denied the ability to register a new firearm by the Omaha Police Department, which took his defensive sidearm used in the shooting into evidence.

NFOA President Andreas Allen said that the hero in this incident, Harry (James) McCullough, now faces gang reprisal because the armed robber man he fatally shot was a documented gang member. Mr. McCullough has "great concern for his personal safety." "He is living on the road, sleeping at a different house every night and not working," Allen said.

"We arranged for Mr. McCullough to get a new replacement handgun from a federally licensed firearms dealer," he continued. "Mr. McCullough completed the paperwork on his new handgun and took a receipt down to OPD to register the handgun before taking possession of it, to make sure he was in complete compliance with city ordinances.

OPD denied his registration because of a past citation for carrying a concealed weapon. After the City Prosecutor publicly stated he did not have grounds to charge Mr. McCullough, he again contacted the police to register his new firearm and was turned away."

Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, called this situation "unconscionable." NFOA is a Citizens Committee affiliate.

"Mister McCullough has been cleared of any wrongdoing in this case," Gottlieb observed, "yet the police are retaining his firearm, and will not allow him to register a replacement gun. He intervened in a dangerous situation, at great personal risk, and now he is being put at continued risk by a police department policy that is both arbitrary and capricious." Mr. McCullough has a right to protect himself, and his rights are being denied right now, Allen said.

When NFOA asked the Chief of Police to assist with this issue, he responded: "This is Omaha, and we ask you to respect the challenges of our city."

"The city's handgun registration ordinance has been nothing more than a tool used against average citizens to prevent gun ownership," Allen said. "The Omaha Police Department has blatantly ignored state law over the past year, even as we tried to work with the police and prosecutor's office to correct this violation. After conversations with both offices they refused to adjust their policies. They continue to make excuses even after a deputy chief was chastised by the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, and even after the State Attorney General released an opinion that they are in violation of the law.

"This is very disappointing," he said. "I thought it was the job of the police department to enforce the laws, not ignore them."

SC: 3 robbers shot in restaurant holdup: "Officials said the shooting incident occurred just before 3 a.m. at Sonny's Restaurant, located at 1103 Cherokee Ave., after three young men came in and robbed employees. Police said that as the men were leaving, gunfire erupted after two employees pulled handguns and shot all three intruders, one of which later died. Police said after the shooting, a 16-year-old robber ran on foot to a house on 6th Street but later died of his injuries. Officials said they will release his identity after the family has been notified. Investigators said 18-year-old Lloyd Ryan Jefferies, of 152 Cheynne Road in Gaffney, also ran on foot but was later taken by car to Mary Black Hospital, where he was arrested by a Cherokee County deputy. Officials charged Jefferies with armed robbery and are holding him in the Cherokee County Detention Center. The third robber ran across the street from the café and was treated at the scene by EMS before being transported to Spartanburg Regional Hospital"

La.: Pharmacy robbers thwarted by shots from guard: "Slidell police spokesman, Capt. Kevin Foltz said the suspects entered the Gause Boulevard pharmacy around 10:45 a.m. One of the suspects started to pull a scarf over his face, and the security guard on duty realized that something was not right. Foltz said the guard pulled out his weapon and pointed it at the two suspects. But the robbers, one armed with a semi-automatic handgun fired twice at the guard as they ran from the store. The guard returned fire, shooting three times at the suspects. All the bullets fired stayed within the store, Foltz said. When police arrived at the store and set up a search perimeter, a witness said that one of the suspects was hiding out in a backyard on Ninth Street. Police went to the address and found Lagman."

Canadians still debating useless long-gun registry: "n Ottawa today, on Thursday and on May 13, but only for a total of six hours, the House of Commons public safety committee will hear witnesses both for and against Bill C-391. If passed by Parliament, Bill C-391 would get rid of the registry of non-restricted rifles and shotguns, often referred to as the long-gun registry. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has already whipped his Liberal members of Parliament to vote against the bill. Ignatieff has proposed that instead of getting rid of the long-gun registry, that it be streamlined and changed so that when, for the first time an individual is found in possession of an unregistered rifle or shotgun, that person would only be issued a ticket, and perhaps pay a small fine. Yet it was the Liberals who brought into force Bill C-68 where, although the owner of a firearm has committed no criminal act such as robbery, because of doing nothing at all, that is to say, not registering their firearm, they then become a criminal in the eyes of the law."

Sunday, May 09, 2010

MO: Man justified to shoot robber: "A man with a concealed-carry permit appeared to be justified when he shot and killed an armed robber on a street here, police said Wednesday. Christopher Holland, 20, died grasping a .38-caliber revolver after the confrontation about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday. Tuesday night's victim told police he was out for an evening walk and usually carries his .40-caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol because of previous problems with dogs. He said Holland approached from behind, put a gun to his back and demanded money. As Holland looked in the wallet, its owner pulled his own weapon from its holster and told him to drop his gun and get on the ground. The man told police that Holland started to point his gun at him so he opened fire. Holland ran across the street and fell down a hill, where he died."

FL: Two arrested in pharmacy robbery: "Sarasota County Sheriff's Deputies make two arrests in Friday attempted robbery of a suncoast pharmacy. Ronni Neace, 25, and Justin Companion, 26, were charged Friday with attempted robbery. Deputies say Neace entered the Bee Ridge Pharmacy just before 5pm Friday evening. He had a gun and demanded painkillers. Colonel Steve Burns with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office told ABC 7 the owner produced his own gun and shot the suspect. "The pharmacist, the owner of the business, also produced a firearm. He fired an undetermined number of rounds at the perpetrator, who fled out the front door. We believe he was struck with at least one projectile." Deputies say Neace got away with the help of Companion, who acted as his getaway driver. Neace remains in Doctors Hospital."

PA: Prosecutors drop assault charges against shooter: "Prosecutors have dropped assault charges against a York City teen accused of shooting a man in Penn Park after watching the man fatally stab another teenage boy. He appeared Thursday before District Judge Ronald J. Haskell Jr. for a preliminary hearing. But before the hearing could begin, first assistant district attorney David MacVeigh told the judge he was withdrawing the aggravated and simple assault charges, according to Haskell's office. Hall was accused of shooting Enrique Gabriel Torres in the buttocks as Torres fled Penn Park about 4:30 p.m. Jan. 31. York City Police said Torres was fleeing because he'd just stabbed 16-year-old Shah Jordan, who was in the park with Hall. Torres, 22, of 235 W. Maple St., is charged with homicide for Jordan's slaying and is in county prison without bail."

Saturday, May 08, 2010

If Chicago were serious about bringing its violent crime problem under control, it would recognize the constitutional right of residents to use firearms to protect themselves.

The city's troubles are so extreme that a pair of state lawmakers are calling on a fellow Democrat, Gov. Pat Quinn, to deploy the National Guard to help restore calm. The latest figures show that Chicago had racked up 122 homicides for the year, exceeding the 116 killings over the comparable period in 2009, a very bad year. Among the top 10 U.S. cities, Chicago is within shooting distance of advancing from second place to win the dubious distinction of being the U.S. murder capital. It's no coincidence that the Windy City is already the U.S. gun-control capital.

Since 1982, Chicago has banned the private ownership of handguns and rifles by requiring a convoluted registration process designed to be impossible to complete. Exceptions to the rules enable politicians and their personal friends to own and even carry handguns - but nobody else. This unconstitutional scheme has been a colossal failure. Before the ban took effect, Chicago's murder rate had been falling relative to the nine other largest cities, the 50 largest cities, the five counties that border Cook County, and the United States as a whole. After the ban, Chicago's murder rate rose relative to all these locations. During the first 19 years of the ban, there were just three years when the murder rate was as low as when the ban started.

Such facts are not important to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who continues to insist that more gun-control laws are the "solution" to his crime problem - as if hardened thugs carefully consulted the book of municipal ordinances before embarking on a crime spree. A more rational analysis would conclude that the restrictions apply only to good, law-abiding people looking for a way to defend themselves and their families. When the thugs know victims are defenseless, they pounce.

That means it is up to the Supreme Court to restore to Chicagoans their fundamental right to self-defense. In the pending case of McDonald v. Chicago, a number of residents are asking the high court to apply the reasoning it used to strike down Washington's gun ban. It is worth noting that a year after the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller ruling, Washington's murder rate dropped 25 percent - without resorting to using the National Guard.

Encouraging personal ownership of guns is the only proven solution to Chicago's crime problem.

Georgia woman wrestles gunman, takes gun, then shoots him: "LaGrange Police say a woman wrestled a gunman, injuring him. A 27-year-old woman told police early Tuesday, David Jackson, 39, attacked her at an Old Airport Road home around 5:30 a.m. The woman said she had just arrived with her sister and her children, when Jackson tried to shoot her. The woman recounts she managed to grab the gun and shot Jackson in self-defense. When officers arrived, they found Jackson on the ground with gun wounds in a leg and an arm. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. Jackson faces aggravated assault, stalking, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, criminal damage to property, criminal trespass and cruelty to children."

Florida ATM user Shoots Would-Be Robber: "A man turned the tables on his would-be robber while he was pulling out cash at an ATM, police said. Winter Garden Police said the victim was at the Wachovia ATM at 801 S. Dillard St. early Friday morning when he was approached by a man with a gun. The victim, who has a concealed weapons permit, pulled out a gun of his own and opened fire at the robber, identified as Tommie R. Ward, while he was being shot at himself, according to police. Ward, 18, was shot three times and fled the scene with two other people, police said. Police said officers caught up with the Ward’s vehicle about a mile away where he crashed the car. Ward was taken into custody and transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, police said. He is in stable condition. Police said at this time the man who shot the robbery suspect faces no charges.

Texas teenager shot while allegedly trying to rob a taco stand: "A 16-year-old is taken to the hospital after being shot while trying to rob a taco stand, police said. It happened late Thursday night at Monterrey Park off West Commerce Street on the city’s west side. Investigators believe two people with a gun walked up to the taco stand and demanded money from the owner. That’s when police say the owner pulled out his own gun. “The owner of the taco stand shot the actor instead of giving up money,” said Captain Chris Andersen with the San Antonio Police Department. Andersen says, the 16-year old suspect was shot in the upper left side of his chest and collapsed to the ground. The other suspect ran into a nearby apartment complex, where police tell us he was arrested. Police tell us the taco stand’s owner is not facing any charges."

Friday, May 07, 2010

TX: Homeowner shoots, kills intruder: "A homeowner shot and killed a burglar who broke into his house early Wednesday morning, police said. About 4:40, an unidentified man in his early 20s broke into a house in the 8000 block of Tonto Place, police said. Homeowners Paul Daw and Monica Daw were asleep during the initial break-in and awoke to find the man in the master bedroom. They fought with him, police said. During the struggle, Paul Daw shot the man multiple times with a handgun. He was taken to Beaumont Army Medical Center, where he later died.”

MO: Holdup victim kills robber: "A man who was robbed at gunpoint in Hazelwood on Tuesday night fought back and shot the robber to death, police say. The victim of the holdup pulled his own gun and fatally shot the robber at about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday on a street in Hazelwood. The shooting happened in the 3700 block of Dunn Road, near Cortena Drive. A man in his 50s told police he had been walking along Dunn Road when another man came up to him, pulled a gun and demanded money. The robbery victim handed over his wallet. As the robber rifled through the wallet, the man who’d been robbed shot the robber to death, police say. He died at the scene. The robber was a man about 20 years old.”

Does grandma slapping unruly teen warrant lifetime ban on guns?: "My own longstanding position on ‘prohibited persons’ is anyone who can’t be trusted with a gun can’t be trusted without a custodian. But I also know the Bradys can be counted on to couch any given situation in the most hysterical of PR terms. The purpose behind this column is to demonstrate how widely the net cast by the anti-defense lobby extends. It’s time to talk about that grandma I mentioned in the headline. … Thing is, if convicted of domestic violence, Mrs. Collier will join the ranks of ‘prohibited persons,’ forbidden by that law to so much as touch a gun. Perhaps the Bradys could explain how rendering this frail little lady defenseless serves the interests of public safety? Of justice? Of basic human decency?”

CO: Rocky Mountain gun owner’s lawsuit against gun ban wins: "Today the CSU Board of Governor’s voted to rescind their illegal ban on concealed carry on campus. ‘They didn’t have a legal leg to stand on,’ said Dudley Brown, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO). ‘We told them in January, in no uncertain terms, that state law did not allow them to create their own gun ban. Unfortunately, it took a lawsuit to force them to back down.’ RMGO filed suit against CSU’s Board of Governors on April 15th, proving that unelected board had no authority to override existing state law, which explicitly allows permit holders to carry on college campuses. A day later, a Colorado Appeals Court ruled against CU’s ban on carrying.”

Thursday, May 06, 2010

NJ: Man shoots and kills armed home invader: "Thinking it was her mother the woman opened the door and was face to face with a man pointing a gun at her, Humphrey said. He forced her inside, and asked the 28-year-old woman and her boyfriend, Phillip Jackson, for money. Fearing for their lives, Jackson, 24, struggled for the weapon, Humphrey said. Jackson was able to get the gun, shooting the man several times, Humphrey said.”

MI: Elderly homeowner shoots at home invaders: "One home invasion suspect was shot in the leg and two others were arrested following an incident Friday morning in Lapeer County. The Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office was called to a home on Castle Road in Deerfield Township shortly after 6 a.m. Friday after the 73-year-old homeowner told police three suspects were in his house. One of the suspects approached the man, who brandished his shotgun, according to the sheriff’s office. The suspects believed the home was unoccupied, and after encountering the homeowner, they fled. One suspect was shot in the leg by the homeowner.”

MO: Guns may be allowed on work property : "Missouri businesses could no longer prevent licensed concealed weapons in their parking lots under a bill passed in the House Thursday. The Business Premises Safety Act would prohibit business owners from restricting any lawfully licensed firearm in vehicles parked in their parking lot. Sedalia Republican representative and bill sponsor Stanley Cox said the law would make things safer. ‘People fully have the right to possess the firearms that we have authorized previously in legislation, we are all safer,’ Cox said.”

Gun shows protesters take aim at the wrong target: "The scourge of violent crime is tearing apart our communities and often strikes in our poorest neighborhoods. Often, it is the children that bear the brunt of the violence and often live in terror because of their neighborhoods are under the control of violent gangs. Each day countless Ohioans in such neighborhoods are victimized due to their lack of access to the best self-defense tool ever devised — the firearm. But, it isn’t just gun laws that are responsible for the success criminals have enjoyed over the last 30 years. Those among us willing to pass laws that empower thugs and murders have also used a vile smear campaign that vilified guns and scared many people aware from the best possible choice to keep them safe.”

Background

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” -- Thomas Jefferson

Syndicated columnist Charley Reese (1937-2013): "Gun control by definition affects only honest people. When a politician tells you he wants to forbid you from owning a firearm or force you to get a license, he is telling you he doesn’t trust you. That’s an insult. ... Gun control is not about guns or crime. It is about an elite that fears and despises the common people."

The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles -- Jeff Cooper (1920-2006)

Note for non-American readers: Crime reports from America which describe an offender just as a "teen" or "teenager" almost invariably mean a BLACK teenager.

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.

Two lines below of a famous hymn that would be incomprehensible to Leftists today ("honor"? "right"? "freedom?" Freedom to agree with them is the only freedom they believe in)

First to fight for right and freedom,
And to keep our honor clean

It is of course the hymn of the USMC -- still today the relentless warriors that they always were.

The intellectual Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) said: "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."

How much do you know about Trayvon Martin? Did you recognize him in the picture above? If not you may need to know more about him. It's all here (Backups here and here)